"Both teams did really well," Midland coach Marty Hollenbeck said of his girls' and boys' teams. "That was our first race this year. It helps that we had the five weeks to get in shape. This is a great group of kids. They love to run."

"For us, it was a lot of really tough competition,"said Bullock Creek girls' coach Sarah Martin. "But still, a lot of our girls ran faster than our last meet, and faster than this time last year. Amanda Finke and Stacie Budek and Allison Hagle had really strong races."

Bay City John Glenn won the 13-team boys' black division with 62 points. Bay City Western was second with 76, Midland High third with 95, Dow High sixth with 144, Gladwin ninth with 241 and Bullock Creek 10th with 266. Essexville Garber's Zac Gallagher won the race in 16:40.

"I think the boys ran pretty well,"said Bullock Creek boys' coach David Brown. "Most of them are at their best time or better. Kyle Terwillegar was able to medal and he also had a personal best. We're expecting big things (from him)."

Hemlock won the 13-team boys' gold division with 50 points. Freeland was second with 53, Beaverton fourth with 98, Meridian seventh with 205 and Clare eighth with 205. Breckenridge and Coleman didn't have five finishers. Alex Best of St. Louis won the race in 16:47.